Process of forming low tensile paper stock into perfect rim plates and apparatus therefor



June 6, 1933. 1,912,733

P. SIMMONS PROCESS OF FORMING TENSILE PAPER STOCK INTO PERFECT RIM PLATES AND APPARATUS THEREFOR Filed July 28,

, 2/ W12 BY v H ATTORNEYS.

tion 13. Thecentral portionof the die is Patented June 6,1933

mun 1a. sinuous, or MARION, INDIANA,

AssrGNoB. To INDIANA FIBRE rRoDUc'rs COMPANY, OF MARION, INDIANA, A CORPORATION PROCESS. or FORMING LOW TENSILE Mirna srocxmro rnitrncrnm PLATES AND APPARATUS Application filed July 28,

This invention relates to the processofpre- V paring marginallydished and rimmed paper dishes forfserving purposes and from paper stock having relatively little tensile strength.

i the blank notso held to distribute the surratus being broken away and parts being shown in the section, the dies and blank being illustrated in the initially contactable posi tion. Fig. 2 is a. plan view of the power applying and controlling cam. Fig. 3 is an enlarged central sectional view through the cooperating dies and the blankjust after the blank has beenengaged. Fig. 4: is a similar view showing the same element in the initial formation of thebottomof the dish. Fig. 5

is a similarview showing the same element in the completion of the bottomof the dish;

Fig. 6 is a similar view showing the same elements preliminary to th-e formation of the margin offthe dish and the beginning of the formation of the rim thereof; Fig. 7 is a similar View of the same elements showing the final completion of the dish with the margin and rimincluded; p

In the drawing, 10 indicates the base or bed of a machine upon which issuitably secured a female die ll'having the outwardly di rected, corrugated angularlydished and mar:- ginforming portion 12, and the outwardly and Ldownwardly turned rim forming por- THEREFOR.

1931. Serial No. 553,606.-

recessed as 141 and slidably receives a telescopically associated bottom forming die member having the up-turned peripheral border portion 16 which is arouate in section as illustrated. i 7

Depending fromthe end portion of die member 15 is stem 17 which extends through aperture 18 in the die member 11. Free end of stem 17 suitably supports a stop in the form of nut 19 mounted in the chamber 20 formed in die member 11. The aperture 18 that receives stem 17 is concentrically enlarged as at 21 and mounted therein concentric with the stem 17 and bearing on the respective die members 11 and 15 is a coil 1 spring 21. The die member 11 is provided with any suitable heating means and herein an electrical heating element construction 22 is shown mounted in said die member and is operable by electrical energy supplied by cable123. a

' The cooperating male die includes the body portion 23 in which is suitably mounted a suitable heating element 24 heated with en ergy supplied by the cable 25. The die member 23 slidably supports a central, plate bottom forming die portion 26. It has a pcripheral convex edge portion 27. The heat is utilized for tempering and drying or setting of the resultant formation of the stock.

, Die member 23 has an upwardly and outwardly inclinedcomplementary mating corrugated angular portion 28 which terminates at its-outer edge in a downwardly directed rim forming portion 29, the same being of concave character for cooperating with the convexportion 13 ofthe die member 11.

The die members26 and 23 are suitably supported by a crosshead construction 30 which is slidably supported in the ways 31. Adjustably secured to the crosshead 20 is a cam follower support 32 the same being secured together at 33]. The Support 32 also is slidably associated by guides 3a with the ways 31. Pivotally supported upon shaftl35is the cam follower or roller 36. a

The ways 31 are formed in the frame 37 carried by the base-10. Frame37 terminates in bearing 38 andbearing cap 39 forms therewith a bearingfor shaft 10 rigid with the operating and control cam 41. Gear 42 meshes with pinion 4:3 suitably supported in a bearing. 44 carried by the frame 37 and is suitably driven by a source of power not shown. v

The cam 41, see Figs. 1 and 2, may for convenience and as illustrated in Fig. 2, be divided into certain portions, to-wit, central angles. each representing a period of opera tions. (4 indicates a period of quick ap= proach of the die 30 toward the blank, 5 represents the relatively slow approach of the male die toward the blank and engagement of the blank occurs approximately at the division line between angle Z2 and angle 0. Angle 0 represents that portion of the cam cycle wherein the blank is engaged and the bottom formation occurs and correspond to Fig. 3. The cam surface of portion 0. is slightly inclined so that members 26 and 23simultaneously advance toward die members 15 and 11. An intermediate position is shown in Fig. 4.

Comparing Figs. 1 and 8, it is noted that the blank has been engaged coaxially and remote from its free edge and is forced into bottom formation by die portions 15 and 26 gradually nesting one within the other as shown in Fig. 5 which represents the action that takes place during the central angle d of the cam. The action that takes place during the central angle 0 of the cam is a holding action to permit the stock that is not engaged for bottom formation to distribute uniformly throughout the periphery of the freed portion of the blank. The portion of the opera tion represented by central angle 6 may be slightly inclined so that the die portion 27 gradually approaches the die portion 16 with a relatively slow timing so that the interposed stock has an opportunity to re-arrange itself as required and without disruption or tearing of the border of the'blank.

The central angle f represents the movement that takes place betweenFig. 6 and 7-.

' In this movement the final marginal portion of the dish is partially formed and a portion of the rim is also formed during the initial portion of the movement of the dies. During the final portion of this movement the die members and the blank assume the position and formation, respectively, as indicated in Fig. 7. In other words, the margin is finally formed and the completed rim is formed thereon and without disruption of the stock or folding of the stock. This position of the dies and blank is held allduring that portion of the cycle represented by the central g. It is during this interval that the stock is held and heated or ironed into thefinal form.

Central angle'h represents a relatively slow release of the dies whilecentr'al angle a represents the quick return of the die to permit discharge of the completed plate and insertion of a new flat blank.

The preferred blank is of circular outline and is formed from a flat sheet which may be obtained from a roll of paper stock or from individual sheets. As illustrated in Fig. 1, the blank is preferably flat.

The process set forth herein permits the employment of low tensile strength paper stock to be utilized for paper dish formation which heretofore has never been employed for that purpose because to form a paper dish that is commercially acceptable, the stock must be relatively thin and as a result of such thinness, it must have a certain formation so that it will have rigidity in the plate bottom. Dishing of the plate so that it can retain a slight amount of liquid when food is placed upon itis also necessary.

Paper stock of relative low tensile strength has never been commercially utilized in the paper plate industry for the making of paper plates.v In the attempted formation of commercially acceptable plates the margins and rims included unsightly irregular folds or disruptions or both and beginning at the free edge of the plates and extending toward both, the bottom thereby making the plate commercially impossible.

As set forth hereinbefore, the present process in its essential characteristic contemplates forming the plate partially at predetermined intervals so that when the cycle is completed the plate is completed and without disruption or folding and from a paper blank of low tensile strength. The elimination of such folding and disruption is accomplished by the relative timing between partial operations thereby permitting said low tensile strength stock to re-arrange and distribute as required or necessary to successful formation of the completed plate.

The apparatus disclosed herein may be V provided with suitable plate ejector mechanism, but this plate ejector mechanism is old in the paper plate industry and forms no part of the present invention, likewise, it

is to be understood that the apparatus described herein is provided with means for normally directing the cam follower toward the cam and maintains contact therebetween.

Since this invention is primarily directed u In paper plate forming apparatus the combination with male and femlale die means, at least one of said means being multiple in character and telescopically arranged, of a cam having a portion of its periphery arranged. to cause the die means to engage a blank positioned 'therebetween and initially form the plate bottom with the blank margin and rim formingportions free, another portion of the cam periphery arranged to dish the bottom relative to the blank free portions, another cam portion maintaining said dished relationship until the stock in the blank free portions has distributed itself toprevent stock disruption or overlapping in the plate margins, another cam portion causing the die means to shape the previously free portions into a margin and exterior rim, another cam portion to hold the die means in such position to iron the stock into final dish form, and another cam portion to separate the die means to permit removal of the completed dish from i the die means.

In Witness whereof, I have hereunto affixed my signature.

PAUL R. SIMMONS. 

